Another world. Perhaps we have brought hope and help.

I have been trying for over a week to get a blog posted.  In a weeks time a LOT of things have happened, experiences and emotions have come and gone and the angst of my not being able to communicate these things is really a first world problem.  As I type I still could experience the electricity going out, the Internet deciding to give itself a rest before I post this, my photos not uploading, etc.

Outside of the doors of my hotel is a world where there is one paved road a block away that takes us to the side roads that lead into the bush!  The irony of this entire picture is that in each village of straw and mud huts cell-phones abound. The cell phone world has transcended every other form of modern life.  People live in huts.  People cook outside over fires.  People walk to get water, People may not be able to read but they can communicate via cell phone. 

As I typed this last paragraph I must share what I learned yesterday.  With in 8-10 miles of the one paved road, connecting the villages with world, villages abound where if a person was born after 1961 they have never seen a vehicle.   1961!   Britain left Zambia.  They left buildings, they left everything.  The culture was unprepared to do life on their own in a modern world very well.

Today the town of Mongu occupies the old British buildings, side walks that once connect stores and businesses are chunks of cement here and there.  Every once and while a newer cement block building has been built but the town remains as it was many years ago.

Our focus has been in the bush, it will remain there.  I will share later the awesome transformation of two villages where we work that are coming alive, because they are learning how to work, how to farm, how to read, how to do community hope is arising. 

We leave shortly to visit the clinic that was built and dedicated last August when I was here.  This past week they finally started to get supplies. We are bringing some meds, and hopefully soon the government will help supply more.  Perhaps soon help will be available to those who need it desperately.  Aids is the #1 killer, 27% of the population are affected.  Leaving orphans and widows who may also have aids.  The picture below was taken in a class room for 4th graders.  This is part of the curriculum.    Our clinic is a critical piece of the healing puzzle.   This is a broken culture that truly needs help.  Help physically and help spiritually.

Poster in a 4th grade class room.